In His Steps
by Pheonocia
Summary: This fanfic is about Ichigo's granddaughter walking his same path. The shinigami helping her... Is Toushiro. ToushiroxOC I can't help it that I'm in love with him! demonlove101 HAS ADOPTED THIS STORY !
1. Berry and the shinigami

**Okay, so this story is the remake of Bleach. Kinomi is Ichigo's grand daughter, to make sure you are not confused. Read and review, if it sucks, just tell me and I'll fix it in the near future... onegai!! Oh, Kinomi means 'berry.' Rukia is Kinomi's grandmother... If you want to know who is who, i wrote it at the end. I switched genders here and there, also making new names for everyone**

**In his steps… She lives**

**Berry and the Shinigami**

**We fear that which we cannot see**

"I feel it here…" A thirteen-year-old boy had a map in front of him, "Strange, I sense enormous spirit energy…" With that, the silver haired boy jumped off of the telephone pole with a black butterfly following him.

"What the… You come here, stomp li'l Pete in the face, and order us out like we was some dogs?!" "You crazy, punk? Got a death wish!? SPEAK!" Kinomi "Berry" Kurosaki: 15 years old, has long red hair that is always tied, red eyes, and is a high school student. The one thing only her family knows about her…

"Say something you little…" Kinomi kicked the capped guy, "He dropped li'l Yoshi!" "This is messed up, real messed up! That's one blood thirsty berry." "That girl's total stone cold psycho! Mess with her and she'll kill you!" "Shut up!"

Kinomi stomped on Yoshi, "All of you idiots look at that!" She pointed to a spilled bottle of water and flowers, "Question one! What is that? You, smelly lookin' dude, tell me!" Richard pointed at himself, "M-Me? Smelly? Umm, it's an offering for some dead kid?" Kinomi kicked Richard down, "Check out the brain on smelly! Question two, why is that vase… lying on its side?" "That's because, we knocked it over with our skate… boards?" "Is that so?" Kinomi's only special skill…

**She can see ghosts**

"Then you better apologize to her, hadn't you?!" Kinomi pointed at a bloodied girl behind her, "Aaaaaggh!" All of them ran away, "We're sorry! We're SORRY! Don't hurt us, we'll never do it again!" Kinomi spit on the floor, "I don't think they'll be back. Sorry for using you like that." The ghost girl shook her head, "It's okay, I asked you to get rid of them for me. I was glad to help." "I'll bring fresh flowers soon." Kinomi walked away, "Okay, thank you. Now I can rest peacefully." Kinomi waved her hand, "Yeah, you rest in peace."

**It's true. I can see and talk with ghosts. I was born with the ability to see the souls of the departed. My family runs the local clinic. We're entrusted with the lives of the living. Maybe there's some connection there…**

"I'm home." Kinomi opened the door to her house, "You're late!" Her father kicked her in the head, "Do you know what time it is, delinquent? Dinner in this house is at seven o' clock sharp, every night!"

"Jerk! Is that how you greet your daughter who just helped a ghost find peace?!"

"No excuses! The rules of my house are iron! You break them, you gotta bleed! Or maybe you want to rub it in my face that you can see ghosts and I can't?!"

"Shut up! I didn't ask for it!" Yuta held up the spoon, "Please stop fighting, dinner's getting cold!" Roy waved his hand, "Let them fight, Yuta. Leaves more for us." Kinomi pointed at her father, "Your rules are way too strict! Decent fathers don't make their teenage daughters to be home by seven!"

Yuta widened his eyes, "Kinomi, I think you have another 'friend' haunting you." Kinomi jumped, "Hey! Geez, when did you… I exorcise one and another latches onto me!" Roy leaned against his chair, "He sees them, talks to them, touches them, and channels them… a quadruple threat. Must be a pain, Berry-tan." "Be quiet!" Yuta smiled, "But you know, we're bound to be a little envious of you, Kinomi. They're blurry shapes to me." "Not to me, I don't believe in ghosts."

Roy sipped at his miso, "Eh? But you see them clearly to, Roy. Only daddy can't." "Sure, make fun of my suffering!" "I'm in permanent denial. If I refuse to believe in them, it's like they don't exist." Yuta shivered, "So cold…"

"So here's my latest plan. 'Want to flirt with ghosts while being caressed by the first breeze of summer?' A limited engagement for the month of may, the Karuizawa Ghost Picnic." "Damn it, Roy! You're not making money from my grief! I'm not a freak show!"

"Dropped your guard!" Kinomi's father jumped on her and smiled, but Kinomi pushed him off quickly in one fell swoop, "That's it! I'm going to bed!" Kinomi stomped upstairs to her bedroom. Yuta opened his mouth to say something, but Roy beat him to it, "She left. It's all your fault, dad."

"What'd I do?"

"Kinomi has been under a lot of pressure lately! She told me more ghosts have been haunting her. She's fed up!" Yuta accused his father, "What?! She talks about stuff like that with you?!" Yuta sighed, "I'll take some supper up to her later."

"That girl, why doesn't she come to me with her problems?"

"Are you serious?" Roy licked his spoon clean, "I wouldn't bring my problems to you either. You're over forty, yet you possess the emotional maturity of a preschooler." Kinomi's father, Kotaru, leaned up against a picture of his wife, "Ah, Miyako, Maybe it's because they're in middle school now, but our sons have been treating me like dirt, What should I do?" "First, you can take down that stupid memorial picture."

Slam! "Geez, why is my family so weird?" A black butterfly fluttered into her room, "A black swallowtail? What's it doing here?" She widened her eyes at the next sight. A silver haired boy with turquoise eyes stood on Kinomi's desk, "Wha?" The black robed boy stepped off of the desk, "It is near!"

"'It is near' my ass!" Kinomi kicked the boy, who fell flat on his face, "You're pretty confident for a burglar! By, 'it is near' do you mean like the safe is near or something?" The boy was confused, "Y…You can see me? I mean… did you just kick…" Kinomi paused, "Huh? What the heck are you talking about? Of course I can see you."

"BE QUIET ICHIGO! Don't make a ruckus on the second floor!" Kotaru kicked Kinomi in the back with his knee, "YOU BE QUIET! How can I not be making a ruckus?! Look at this guy, what is going on with our security system in this house?"

"Hmm? What do you mean look… look at what?" Kotaru scratched his chin as Kinomi pointed at the white haired boy, "Huh? I'm talking about this samurai costumed…"

"It is useless." The boy opened his eyes to look at Kinomi, "It isn't possible for ordinary people to see me. I am a shinigami."

The large creature looked around, "Close, strong soul…is close." The creature dropped the bloodied girl Kinomi had helped earlier that night.

"I see… So you are a shinigami, and you came here from a place called soul society to exterminate an evil spirit. Okay! I'll believe you. Yeah right! Like I could believe that, retard!" Kinomi lifted a table that had a note saying: warning, only to be used for jokes like this. "Well, you can see ghosts, but you don't believe in the existence of shinigami?" "Of course not!" Kinomi straightened her skirt, "Unfortunately, I've never seen a shinigami. I don't believe in things I can't see. My idiot father couldn't see you, so I'll acknowledge the fact that you aren't human. However, quit the shinigami crap. Got it, little brat?" The boy perked up.

"You have spewed nonsense…" The boy turned around and pointed at Kinomi, "Binding spell the first, sai (obstruction)!" Kinomi felt her arms twist together, and felt a sharp pain. She bit her lip to prevent from shouting (A/N: Like Ichigo who bawled like a baby…jpjpjp). The boy rolled Kinomi over and stepped on her lightly, "You! What did you do?!" Kinomi blushed slightly, " You can't move, this is kido, the demon way.

"It is an incantation only shinigamis can use. Even though I look thirteen, I have lived several ten years longer than you have. And you dare to call me a little brat? Usually I would kill fellows like you, but the spiritual law states that one cannot kill humans they have not been ordered to kill." Kinomi struggled under the boy's weight, "I will have to be content with just sealing your movements. Give thanks you little brat. And…" The boy sheathed his sword, "Wai-" The handle of the sword connected to the ghost's forehead, "Huh?" "Do not fear, the place you are going to is soul society. Unlike hell, it is a peaceful place." The ghost fell into a large dimension hole. Only then did the boy realize the cause of Kinomi's embarrassment.

"Oh…" The boy blushed a deep shade of red, "DON'T JUST SAY 'OH' AND STAND THERE!" The boy coughed, in a poor attempt to cover up his amusement. He flipped Kinomi's skirt down, and she blushed when he touched her, "Idiot." The ghost and the hole disappeared, "What happened to that ghost?" "I sent him to soul society with the technique soul burial. In your language, I believe you call it 'going to heaven.' I guess I shouldn't even ask if you believe me or not. I will kindly explain with illustrations so that even a brat like you can understand."

"Hey!" Kinomi was sitting up at this point, but the boy tipped her and pushed her back down, "Now, in this world, there are two types of spirits. One is called whole and is the most common spirit. You can say that the ghosts you usually see are these." A picture of a spirit with hearts and flowers were on the page, and Kinomi sweat dropped. "Also, the other type is called a hollow. They attack the living and the dead alike to eat their souls. They are also evil spirits." A gigantic creature with a hole in its chest with thunder behind it was on the paper, "Any questions so far?"

"Can I start with 'Your drawings suck really badly?'" Toushiro widened his eyes to what she said, "Sh-Shut up! I'll flip your skirt up if you don't." Although she knew he was lying, she enjoyed teasing little kids, "Try it if you dare." The boy coughed, "Moving on! We shinigamis have two duties. One is to guide wholes to soul society using soul burial as you have seen. The second is to extinguish hollows. Although that isn't my main goal, I was sent to do that also." Kinomi blinked, "So is there a hollow nearby?" The boy looked at Kinomi, "Yes."

"ARE YOU STUPID?! GO AND VAPORIZE IT!" Kinomi wiggled and struggled to get up, "That is… I can't feel its presence any more." Kinomi opened her mouth, only to hear a blood curling howl, "Hey, what was that huge voice just now?" The boy narrowed his eyes, "A huge voice?" Just then, a hollow's howl entered the room, "A hollow?" "Aaaaaaaaaah!" Kinomi widened her eyes, "That was Yuta…" The white haired boy retrieved his sword and ran to the door, "Hey! Wait up, where are you going? Was that a hollow? If so, my family is down there!" The boy turned briefly, "Stay here! If you come, the number of victims will rise by one! Leave it to me and stay here quietly, got it?!" The boy turned the door knob, and a huge gust of wind blew toward the boy, "Urk." The boy looked down at Roy, "Sis… You okay?" Kinomi looked at Roy, who was beat, "Roy! What happened?"

Roy coughed out blood, "It happened so fast… Dad's back exploded, then it went after Yuta. After a while, it chased after me. I knew I had to warn you. Stay away Kinomi… Run…" Roy fell down and closed his eyes, "Don't worry, he's just unconscious." Kinomi growled, "DON'T WORRY? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! MY FAMILY IS DOWN THERE, AND I CAN'T STAND BY!" Kinomi kneeled and pulled at her hands, "I'm not going to let them…" "Stop it! You'll die if you." Kinomi pulled her arms and closed her eyes tightly, "I'm not going to let them die!!" Snap!

The spell was broken, and Kinomi grabbed a steel rod. The boy stared at Kinomi, '_To release kido with human power, I have never heard of such a ridiculous thing! This girl… is not normal.'_

Kinomi glared at the creature, it wasn't even human. It had large teeth, and a hole was in its chest. Kinomi shook violently.

Kinomi's POV

Why am I shaking, is this thing so scary? No! I've seen countless ghosts before, this is just another one. I looked at the creature's hands, "YUTA!" Yuta stared at me, "No, Kinomi, run." I clenched my teeth and grasped the rod harder. Like I would. I charged toward the hollow and reared my arm, but the hollow did to. It striked me in the stomach and launched me toward the wall, "Am I going to… die here?" I asked myself that question, but I opened my eyes, no. I used my feet to halt. This is just another one of those stupid gang fights, I can take this guy on one hand behind my back, but let's not try that… I raised the rod and glared at the hollow, "Do not belittle me." As the arm of the creature came down, I jumped onto its arm and whacked it's head with the rod.

The mask cracked slightly before the hollow reared back, "FOOL!" I saw the boy jump in front of me. The creature bit him on the shoulder, and I caught him as he fell, "Hey, shinigami, wake up!" I noticed the hollow had raised it's arm again, so I ran outside with the boy in my hands, "Is there anyway to get rid of that thing?!" The boy nodded, "Yes, but you will have to… become a soul reaper."

Normal POV

"…Okay."

"Seriously?!" The boy widened his eyes, "Of course! I need to save my family, so I'll do anything." The boy's turquoise eyes stared into Kinomi's red ones, "So just give me a chance, shinigami." "…It's not shinigami, it's Hitsugaya Toushiro. You've got yourself a deal."

The explosion created smoke everywhere, "No, I only meant for half…" Toushiro was left wearing white clothes tainted with blood. The arm of the hollow disappeared, "I'm not going to let you do further damage." Kinomi brought the sword in front of her. Or what seemed to be the sword. It was very thin and long, "She's… like her grandfather." Toushiro stared at Kinomi, who stabbed the hollow in the face. Kinomi blinked once and fell to the ground as the body of the hollow dissipated, "Kinomi… Kurosaki, right?"

"Good morning!" Kotaru jumped in the air, "Kinomi!" Kinomi pushed her father to the ground, "That hurt…"

"Sorry, force of habit… Wait a minute, where are your wounds?" Kotaru shook his head, "Wounds? What wounds? Did I get hurt?" Kinomi stared in disbelief, "What?"

An orange haired boy sighed, "Hey! Don't waste your time day dreaming!" "Toku…" Toku smiled at his friend, "Kinomi sure is late." "What?"

"Weren't you thinking about her?"

"Unh! No!" Toku paused for a while, "What's so great about her, Orui?"

"She's funny!"

"Huh?"

"Since she always frowns, I think of so many different images with her scowl." Orui sighed while Miyo passed by, "She may be late." Toku asked Miyo, "Why?"

"Well, there was this gigantic hole, and they said a truck ran through the house."

"A HOLE?!" Toku went frantic, "What if they were injured? Who would I tease about their natural hair color, and what if they… gasp! What if Kinomi died?!"

"ALIVE! Sorry for upsetting you." Kinomi threw her bag at Toku in the middle of his sentence, "Good morning Kinomi!" Orui went into a fit of laughs, "Umm… Hi Orui, still as happy as usual." Kinomi took her seat in back of Miyo, "Weren't you working on you house?" Kinomi sighed, "Yeah, but they said I needed to go to school. What's third period?"

"Oh, math."

"Oh gosh, not math. I hate it, especially after this weird chain of events."

"Oh hello. You must be Kurosaki-chan." Kinomi froze, "**Who just called me chan?**" Kinomi dangerously turned around to face a familiar face, "Oh this is our new transfer student, he's thirteen years old, they call him a genius." Toushiro waved at Kinomi and secretly slipped a note into her jacket pocket, '_If you make a scene, you're dead.'_ Kinomi grunted, "Fine."

After class, Toushiro dragged Kinomi outside, "What do you want from me, isn't your mission done already?" Toushiro folded his arms, "Not quite. I told you that was just a side mission. Plus, you have all my dark force, so I can't get close to soul society."

"Then what's your real mission?"

"None of your business!" Toushiro snapped at Kinomi and she flinched. He noticed that she was frightened, "Sorry." Kinomi stopped walking, "What are we doing here?" Toushiro stopped also, he put on a glove and said, "We're going to continue your job." "Say what?" Toushiro hit Kinomi in the stomach with his gloved hand, "What was that for?" "Come with me Kurosaki-san." Kinomi hesitated before chasing after the thirteen year old.

"What are we doing at the park?" Kinomi looked around, "What are you looking for?" Toushiro asked the worried girl, "Ah…" Kinomi shook her head, "Nothing, there's a soul that usually comes here around this time." Toushiro looked at his phone, then shoved it in front of Kinomi's face. Kinomi stared at it, "What's this?"

"An order. Twelve P.M. plus or minus fifteen minutes. Within a twenty meter radius of Yumizawa children's park. A hollow will appear there." Kinomi widened her eyes as the sky was filled with a boy's scream.

The boy was running from a four legged hollow, and Kinomi put her hand to her sword, "Wait!" Kinomi stopped, "He's a complete stranger, are you going to help him?"

"Of course! I can't stand and watch that thing eat him!"

"Before your eyes or out of your sight, they're going to be attacked either way." Kinomi looked into Toushiro's cold eyes, "Don't help him if you won't do the duties of a shinigami. Don't help if you're not going to commit! If you want to save him, you must save them all. You have to be willing to go anywhere and sacrifice yourself!" Kinomi skipped a heartbeat, "What the hell…" She clutched her chest, and stepped in front of the hollow, "Have you made your decision?"

The left legs of the hollow were cut off, "Shut up!" Kinomi stuck her katana into the ground, "I don't buy all this self sacrifice and commitment crap! I helped him because I was here! So what are you going to do about it?!" Toushiro widened his eyes, "What about you?" Kinomi's eyes softened as she sad these lines, "You sacrificed yourself that night to save me. Was that your duty as a shinigami? Duty is no reason to sacrifice yourself!"

The sword was released from the ground, and Kinomi slashed it into the hollow's mask, "But people's emotions drive them to do the one thing they think they can't do…" Kinomi twisted the sword and slashed it up, "That one thing is protecting people." The hollow dissipated, "I'm not stupid, I owe you for helping me save my family. I'll do what you came here to do, I will help you." Toushiro looked at Kinomi one last time before turning, "Good luck then."

The next day, Toushiro decided to give Kinomi some training, "You have to aim for the head of the hollow, so you will have to hit all the high balls, and leave the low balls alone. Got that?" Kinomi swung the baseball bat, "Sure, whatever." Toushiro focused on Kinomi's grip, it wasn't that tight… Oh well. He threw the ball high, and Kinomi immediately reacted, "HEAD!" Kinomi yelled that word out as she hit the ball… hard.

"That was Kinomi…" Orui looked around and saw Kinomi hitting baseballs. He looked across from Kinomi, and there was Toushiro. Orui hated that guy because he was always with Kinomi. Just then, Orui shot off in Kinomi's direction.

The panting Kinomi lay down on the seat, and Toushiro sat by her head, "Approaching the hollow from behind and killing it in one blow is the essence of hollow hunting. It's a miracle that you've survived this long fighting them as you have." Kinomi managed to pant out, "But… hitting them… from behind isn't… fair."

"Fool... Save that kind of pride for humans. Hollows don't exactly play by the rules either. The smart ones will deceive you with all kinds of tricks. That kind of thing will get you killed." Kinomi closed her eyes, "I… just…" She dozed off, and Toushiro grunted, "This girl…" He looked at her frail body moving up and down, how could this girl be the grand daughter of HIM? Toushiro hovered his face over hers, it was so peaceful, "HI KINOMI!" Kinomi jumped up, feeling a large blush creep across her face.

**Someone else used this cliffhanger, or something like this. I got so pissed...I willtry to get The New World done, it almost is! The next chapter of this story will come outsoon, hopefully.Anyway, here are the characters for this chapter and the next:**

**Kinomi- is Ichigo and Rukia's granddaughter- takes place of Ichigo**

**Toushiro takes the place of Rukia, but he really is in the story...**

**Kotaru- is Kinomi's father- takes place of Isshin**

**Miyako- is Kinomi's mother, she is deceased- takes place of Misaki**

**Yuta- Kinomi's younger brother, younger twin- takes place of Yuzu**

**Roy- Kinomi's younger brother, older twin- takes place of Karen**

**Orui- Kinomi's friend(male)- takes place of Orihime**

**Toku- Kinomi's friend(male)- takes place of Tatsuki**

**Kyuuni- hollow(female)- takes place of Kakei**

**Miyo- Mizuiro(female)- takes place of Mizuiro**

**Chito- Kinomi's friend(still a guy)-takes place of Chad**

**Yakato- cursed parakeet- takes place of Yuichi**

**Kikoi- Kinomi's friend(female)- takes place of Keigo**

**So review!! -winks-**


	2. Head hunting

**In his steps… She lives**

**Head hunting**

**BAH! This chapter was so hard on me! I couldn't update for so long. My other stories, and this story, and stupid school thats always there haunting you! Good thing tomorrow is veterans day! I will put up some notifications maybe here and there just so you know I'm alive. ^-^ Hope you like the story~**

"You! You idiot!" Kinomi hit Toushiro's head for the fifth time, "Why are you letting me hit you?!" Toushiro looked up, "You noticed?"

"I've known, but I needed something to calm me down." Kinomi sighed, "Oh yeah! Orui, what's up?" Orui stuttered, "Erm, uh, nothing." He chuckled and turned around.

FLASHBACK

Kinomi jumped up and kissed Toushiro, who then backed away. Kinomi blushed a deep shade of red before starting to hit Toushiro on the head, "WHY WOULD YOU PUT YOUR HEAD THERE?!"

END FLASHBACK

Orui sweat dropped and looked down upon what he had just done.

"Wait, what happened to your arm?" Orui turned around again, "Oh, I got hit by a car."

"WHAT?! Shouldn't you go to the hospital?" Orui laughed and scratched the back of his head, "I'm okay, it's not like it was on purpose. I was the careless one, walking on a red light…" Toushiro asked Kinomi, "Does Orui get hurt a lot?"

"Almost everyday."

"I daydream."

"That's not something to be proud of…" Kinomi talked to Orui some more, but Toushiro observed his legs, "That bruise on your leg." Orui jumped up, "Oh, I got this last night too, probably from the car." Toushiro narrowed his eyes, '_No…_'

"Why are you looking like that?"

"Oh, I just thought that it might've hurt."

"It does!" Kinomi widened her eyes, "Then I'll help you to your house, you could damage it even further!" Orui blushed, "Er, no. I'm… Oh! I'm late! Shoten's going to start soon!" Kinomi waved goodbye, "That boy…" Kinomi looked at Toushiro, "Are you two close?" Kinomi thought about this, "Not really, he's my friend's friend."

"Any siblings?"

"One. He had an older sister." Toushiro looked Kinomi in the eye, but she looked away, "Had?"

"She died… three years ago. That's when I met him. Orui dragged his sister to my front steps." Toushiro turned around, "Oh, we should get home too."

"Huh? You have a house here? Where do you live?"

"Does my private life interest you?" Toushiro turned around to face a blushing Kinomi, "As if!" Toushiro covered up his amusement and turned again, "Then don't ask."

Toushiro leaned back and closed his eyes, things were going to get ugly again. The hollow indicator started to beep, and Toushiro picked it up, '_Where is it?_' He widened his eyes and sat up.

Kinomi heard beeping from behind the wall and shrugged it off, "Roy and Yuta are probably playing a game." She slipped off her shirt before the closet door opened, "KINOMI!"

"WAH! IDIOT!" Kinomi threw a pillow at him and covered herself up with the blanket, "PERVERT!"

"I am not! I was just going to warn you about a hollow!" Kinomi blinked, "Where?" Toushiro put on his glove, "Here…" He shoved Kinomi's soul out of her body, "And now." A hand rose from Kinomi's bed.

"Aim for the head!"

"I know!"

Unsheathing her sword, Kinomi stabbed the mask, but the cut was too shallow. Part of the mask fell, and Kinomi widened her eyes, "That was…" The hollow disappeared and Kinomi landed back inside her own human body, "It got away, quickly, we have to follow it."

"WAIT!" Toushiro looked at Kinomi, "That was Orui's sister… What's happening?" Toushiro looked away, but Kinomi grabbed his frail body, "I'm asking you what happened!" Toushiro looked at Kinomi, then down, then looked away. Kinomi noticed his blush as he threw a blanket to cover her, "Hurry and change, I'll explain on the way."

"Are you stupid?!" Toku yelled at Orui, "Sorry!"

"Why would you blow a chance like that?!" Toku sipped his tea again, "You have to let Kinomi take you to home. On the way, when you two are alone…" Orui stared at Toku, "YOU TACKLE HER TO THE GROUND!" Orui choked on his bread, "TOKU!"

"But she's been hanging out with the new kid lately…"

"Oh, I saw them at the park toge…ther…" Toku narrowed his eyes, "Have you ever been alone in the park with Kinomi?"

Daydream…

"OOOrruuuuuuuuiiiiiiii!"

"KKKiiiinooommiiiiiiiiii!" Kinomi bounded to Orui, "I'll race you to the slide!"

"Okay! Ready, set, go!" The two ran, but a third person caught up with them, it was a random weird person. Orui punched the guy and stood with the championship boxing belt, "Yay! I won!" A person with a hood pointed his gun at Orui…

End of daydream…

"Waaa!" Run me! I mean… champ! No, I…"

"I thought it was a park fantasy…" Rip! Orui looked behind him, his favorite stuffed bear was lying on the ground, "Ah! Enraku ripped! SPEAK TO ME!"

"I wonder what would happen if it were Kinomi…" Blood seeped out of Enraku's rip, "Hmm? That's weird, I had Enraku fixed yes-" The hand of a hollow tore out of the bear, and stabbed through Orui's chest.

"All hollows… Were once human." Toushiro said this sadly, "Human? No way, I thought they were monsters! I have to kill them?!"

"That's right!" Toushiro ran faster, "They are monsters now, and the zanpakuto cleanses their souls, it doesn't kill them."

"What?" Kinomi looked at Toushiro's eyes, they were filled with sorrow. It was obvious he had been doing this for quite some time, "No time to argue, if we don't hurry, Orui will die. Hollows attack their own families first."

"They attack their own families?" Kinomi repeated, "Yes. They attack randomly after eating their own families. They eat souls to ease their pain. If that really was Orui's sister, then I'm certain that Orui is in grave danger."

"What?" Toku was thrown against the wall, "What hit me?" A large snake-like hollow with long black hair hovered over Toku. Orui looked at it with horror, '_What's happening? That thing looks so scary! I feel dizzy, and it's hard to breathe. I don't like this at all…_' The hollow grabbed Toku by the throat, "Toku…" Orui gripped his fists and tackled the monster, biting it in the process. The hollow fell to the ground while Orui ran to Toku, "Hurry Toku, it's going to hurt you! Run!" Toku gasped for air, "Toku! What's wrong?"

"He can't hear you, Orui. He can't hear nor see us."

"How do you…" Orui looked at the hollow, "…Know my name?"

"…Have you already forgotten my voice, after three long years?" Orui widened his eyes in horror as the hollow brought down his arm, "That wounds me!" Slash! Kinomi blocked with her sword, "Kinomi?" Kinomi glared at the hollow, "If you're going to eat Orui's soul, you have to eat me first!" She swung her sword so the hollow backed up a bit.

'_She's not attacking… Please just run, fat chance of that_.' Kinomi blinked and saw Toku, then looked at her other side, '_Orui? But she's right behind me!_' Kinomi whipped her tied red hair around to see Orui, "Kinomi! I knew it was you!"

"_Why are you sneaking around like that?" Toushiro looked back at Kinomi, who was in her shinigami clothes, "If anyone saw me wearing this, I'd be arrested for carrying a sword!" Toushiro scoffed, "Heh. Do you think normal people would be able to see you? A shinigami is an entity, only he who has spiritual powers can see you." Kinomi creeped out from the corner, "Oh…"_

"_Besides…" Toushiro turned and started to walk away, "You look nice in that."_

Kinomi blushed slightly, "How can you see me?" She noticed Orui had a chain in his chest, "Isn't it obvious?" The hollow whispered, "He's a spirit. Orui is already dead." Kinomi turned around to face the hollow. It attacked her, and she blocked. The katana didn't even pierce the body, "Scales." The hollow pushed Kinomi out of the room, sending her flying outside, "Gak." She coughed out blood and looked at the snake creature, "You talk tough, but you're far too slow."

The hollow spit acid, which landed around Kinomi's forehead. She dropped the sword and held onto the source of the pain. She gasped as the hollow used its tail to knock her out. Orui got up, "Kinomi!" The hollow grabbed him, "Let go! Can't you see that Kinomi's hurt? I have to help!"

"Have you really forgotten? It's me!" The hollow raised its bangs to show her eye, "Kyuuni…"

"Hey, wake up Kinomi." Toushiro shook his substitute's scrawny body, "Wake up!" The girl didn't even flinch. Toushiro clenched his teeth, and remembered something Kinomi had said…

_"I hate my dad, he always tries to wake me up by hitting me." Toushiro shook his head, "What do you mean?"_

_"He's always attacking me, but sometimes I don't wake up. Then, he tries to kiss me, but I never let that happen."_

Toushiro swallowed the lump in his throat and almost kissed Kinomi, before she grabbed his head and threw him into the tree, "Ah, Toushiro! Sorry, it's force of habit…" He rubbed his head, "Don't say sorry to me, and go save Orui. Remember… If you lose, she'll eat Orui."

"Is it really you, Kyuuni?"

"Yes. You haven't forgotten."

"But, why did you hurt Toku and Kinomi?! Why?"

"You know why. They tried to tear us apart!" Kyuuni gripped the floor, "After I died, you prayed for me everyday, and I watched you back in return. It made me so happy, but one year later, you became friends with Toku! You prayed less often, and that made me feel uneasy. I was terrified once you entered high school and stopped praying all together! All you would do was talk about Kinomi! I saw myself fading from your heart each day."

"That's not true!"

"I was so lonely! It was unbearable! I just wanted to kill!" Kinomi appeared behind Kyuuni, who blocked her attack, "Kinomi!" Kyuuni picked up her brother, "Come with me, back to when it was only us two, please."

"Why? The Kyuuni I knew would tell me her sufferings, she wouldn't hurt anyone! She wouldn't do anything like this!" Kyuuni became angry, so she gripped Orui tighter, "How do you think I became this thing? It's your entire fault! I'll kill you!" Kinomi sliced both of Kyuuni's arms. She glared at the hollow, "What kind of person says they're going to kill they're only family?! The one that they tried to protect before?! Even a monster wouldn't say that!" Kinomi started to cry, "I… I… I can't stand this idiotic behavior!" Kyuuni roared in pain, "Why do you stand in my way?"

"Maybe… because I live to protect, and I have to live…" Kinomi charged toward Kyuuni as Toushiro finally got up to the room, "I have to repay my debt!" Kinomi brought down her sword, but missed the mask. The hollow switched directions the last second and turned toward Orui, "If Orui won't live for me, then he'll die for me!" Kyuuni bit Orui's shoulder, but he hugged her, "I'm sorry."

"I'm so sorry, Kyuuni. I didn't want you to see my sorrow, so I only shared the happy things with you. I didn't think you would be so lonely…" Orui dropped to the floor, "ORUI!" Kyuuni hovered over her brother, "It's not too late! As long as the inga no kusari, the chain of fate, is attached, he can be saved! I'll use my kido to save him." Kyuuni stared at her brother, "What are you looking at?" Kinomi looked at the hollow, "Orui still wears the bracelet you gave him, he wears it everyday."

"I thought he threw it away…"

"Everyone, the dead and the living… they all feel alone. But people are greedy, they think of their own loneliness, and don't mind someone else's feelings. Can you compare to that?" Kinomi looked into Toushiro's eyes, "Human or not, everyone has feelings." Toushiro opened his mouth, but closed it and looked away, "I didn't know." Kyuuni grabbed Kinomi's katana with her wrists and sliced the mask, "If I stay alive, I might go after him again, it's better like this."

"Kyuuni…" Orui looked up at his sister, "Have a nice day." Kyuuni smiled, "You too." Kyuuni dissipated, and Orui looked at Kinomi, "I have a lot of question to as-" Toushiro brought out an exploding matchbox, "Wha! What is that?" Kinomi stared at Toushiro, while Orui fainted, "This is used to wipe his memories, he'll remember nothing, but the memories will be replaced."

"Oh…"

"The memory she remembers will be random though…"

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see… tomorrow." Toushiro smirked, and Kinomi blushed lightly, then caught up with her mentor, "You look better when you smile."

"Shut up."

THE NEXT DAY

"Really! A yakuza gunman came in and blasted a huge hole in my wall!"

"…Whatever."

"Orui…"

"I love that mind of yours, Orui-chan." Orui pouted, "But it really happened! Right, Toku?"

"Yeah…"

"You saw it too!"

"Okay… I get it now." Kinomi sweat dropped, "You used it on my family, right?" Toushiro nodded, "Yep." Kinomi smiled a forced smile, "It worked well, didn't it." Toushiro looked into Kinomi's eyes, "Don't fake your smiles,"

"What?" Kinomi was surprised he could see through her act, "It doesn't suit you." Toushiro leaned against a wall, "I still like your real smiles better." Kinomi blushed furiously, "You're one to know!"

"A cursed parakeet?!" Shigi bit into his bread, "Yeah, all of his owners have bad luck, and ended up dead." Yu smiled, "Hey, Shigi, want it?"

"Idiot! I'm not that stupid!" Shigi lighted his cigarette, "How about you, Chito? Isn't it cute?" Shigi laughed, "Yeah, Chi likes cute things." Just then, and iron beam fell onto Chito's back, "Holy!"

"You okay, Chi?" Chito paused, "I'm fine."

"Fine?! You're bleeding!"

"Thank you for saving me, my name is Yakato Subera, what's yours?"

"…Yukubori Chito."

"There's no trace of the burn!" Kinomi touched her forehead, "Surprised? I'm captain class, so I'm good with kido."

"Captain class?"

"The highest ranking shinigami, there are thirteen captains, but one has gone... missing." Kinomi lay against the gate, a breeze passed by, and she smiled. Toushiro looked at her in a way no one thought possible, "You still look great when you smile."

"Ah!" Kinomi opened her eyes to object, but Orui came over with Toku, "Hey guys! Why are you two always together?" Kinomi sighed, "Well… we have some business together." Toushiro looked at Kinomi, who noticed what she said sounded wrong, "I mean, we work together for something! I didn't mean that..."

"Of course…" Toku sat down next to Orui before Miyo walked over, "Hey Kinomi!" Kinomi waved as a greeting and bit into her potato, "Hello Hitsugaya-kun!" Toushiro looked at Miyo, "Erm, hello… Miyo?"

"Yes. I'm Miyo Korui. My hobby is…"

"Dating a new guy every week?"

"NO!" Miyo shook her head, "You are ruining my public rep! Hitsugaya-kun is younger than me, so I obviously won't do anything to him."

"Yeah… watch out."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing." Kinomi turned to Toushiro, "Really, be careful Toushiro." Miyo snickered, "You call him by first name?" Kinomi blushed, "Sh-Shut up! At least I don't cheat on my boyfriends!"

"You've never had a boyfriend!" Kikoi walked onto the roof, "Hey guys, mind if I join you?" Kinomi scoffed, "Whatever."

"Wait! Is that the new hot guy everyone is talking about?" Kikoi ran up to Toushiro, "You're a bit young, but…" She kissed his hand, or tried to. Kinomi kicked Kikoi in the face, which made her roll over, "Sorry, I can't stand kisses."

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Toushiro raised an amused eyebrow toward Kinomi, "As if!" She hit him on the head, but he let her anyway, "Hey Kurosaki!" Kinomi looked at the female thug. She had short red hair, the same as Kinomi's, "When are you going to dye your hair black?" Kinomi twitched, "This is my natural hair color, don't be hating me, drag queen."

"What did you say?!"

"Hey, no fighting!" Kikoi got in between the furious Oyomi and the pissed Kinomi, "Beat it!"

"No one can beat you, Oyomi!" Kikoi said this terrified, "Except me, I'll stomp you into next week!" Kinomi pointed accusingly at Oyomi, "Shut up, Kinomi! I'm trying to save your life!"

"I knew I would have to set you straight one day…" Oyomi brought out brass knuckles, "Too late to beg for mercy!" Oyomi charged at Kinomi, but was thrown into the air, "Chito!" Kikoi hugged the large man, "I was so scared!" Chito grunted a hi to everyone and sat down, "Ah, your hand is hurt!" Kikoi examined the wound thoroughly, "Yesterday, it was an I-beam, it fell on my back."

"WHAT?!" Kinomi widened her eyes, "You have to take it easy!"

"I hurt my hand grocery shopping, and a motorcycle ran into me this morning."

"Chito, are you made of steel or something?" Miyo blinked several times, "The guy driving got hurt worse than me, so I dragged him to the hospital."

"So that's why you were late." Chito took out the bird, "This is Yakato, my parakeet." Kinomi stared at the parakeet in horror, '_What is this feeling?_' Toushiro looked at Kinomi, '_She's worried about the welfare of others…_'

"Don't worry, whatever is in that bird is harmless. We should perform Konso tonight, otherwise it'll turn into a hollow." Kinomi smiled, "Good." She went back to drinking her juice.

"Whoa! That's a big one!"

"Chito?" Kinomi looked at her friend, who's back was bleeding furiously, "Berry?" Kinomi held her heart, this wasn't good. Kinomi looked at her father, "I'll get a room ready."

Kinomi went inside her room and locked the door, "You felt it too, didn't you Toushiro?" Toushiro nodded, "There's nothing evil in the parakeet, but that wound reeks of hollow." Kinomi dropped to the floor, she was panting furiously, "What's wrong?" Toushiro ran to her side, "Nothing." She gasped for air and stood up. Toushiro blinked, then picked up a small knife. He sliced his cheek, and blood dripped out. Kinomi gasped, and her eyes diluted. She walked forward and licked the wound, "K-Kinomi?"

"Eh?" Her eyes regained her normal bright red, and she jumped back, "Oh no, I did it again." Toushiro looked at her, "What do you mean?"

"Whenever I see blood, I act strangely. Enough blood will make me want to lick it. Chito's back was smothered in it, so I ran away, but your blood… it's really sweet." Kinomi looked at Toushiro's cut, it was no longer bleeding, "Sorry if I did anything weird." Toushiro blinked several times before responding, "Hurry, I feel something strange emitting from Chito's room…"

**Yes, second chapter D-O-N-E!!! Finally, thought I would die before I got this done. Really, I've been working so hard on Three New Subjects and I finally finished The New World! I can't even wait until I write Life's Lessons. I will be working on another story, because I 'm a hard worker like that! I have no school tomorrow, so that's when I'll input it. The story is called Will History Repeat Itself? It's a DNAngel fanfic, and it's about a boy named Aoi who walks the same fate as his grandfather, Daisuke Niwa. The thing is, who Aoi ends up with, is a surprise. SHH!~**


	3. Hospital problems

In his steps… She lives

**I seriously need to get a life other than just loafing around. You know, maybe I should get a hold of the outside world... Nah. Too much work.**

**Hospital problems**

**_People are able to hold onto hope, since death is that which cannot be seen._**

"…Yesterday at about 5:32 PM on 3rd street in the town of Karakura, there was a five car pile up…"

"Kinomi-neesan! It's time for breakfast!" Kinomi got up from the chair in front of the television, "Eh? What about Roy?" The TV continued it's broadcast, "Miraculously, there were no injuries." Yuta paused for a second, "Well, he said he didn't want any… he didn't seem to be doing too well."

"What? Roy not doing too well? That's awfully rare-"

"KINOMI! Bad news! Chito escaped from his room!"

Through the halls, Kinomi sped to Miyo, "Oh, you're just in tim-"

"Where's Chito? Did he come yet?"

"No… I didn't even see him." Miyo looked at her frustrated friend, "Yeah, it doesn't even look like he showed up. No fair, I really wanted to play with that little parakeet today." Kinomi grit her teeth and started to leave, "Where are you going? The bell just rang!" Kikoi tried to talk to Kinomi, "Alright, sit down you worthless bags of scum!" Matoko, the English teacher saw Kinomi running out the door, "Where are you going?!"

"SORRY! I have a stomach ache!" Kinomi lied, "Oh…" Kikoi sighed, "It's okay?"

"Well, she'll eventually come back on her own."

Elsewhere at the Karakura South Primary School…

Roy threw up, "Ugh, what happened?" Roy wiped his mouth, "Are you okay, Roy?"

"Yuta? I thought I told you to go back to class!" Yuta sniffled, "But I can't leave you alone!" Roy slammed the door open, "I'm going to leave early, get my bag."

"Eh? Leave early? But Roy!"

"Shut up and get my bag!" Yuta ran out, "Man, something's not right… Berry-neesan…"

"Kinomi."

"Toushiro." Kinomi stopped with Toushiro in front of her, "Any trace of Chito?"

"No, how about there?"

"Nope. Listen, shinigamis can only sense a hollow's presence when it enters this world, so I don't know if Chito is targeted or not."

"Tsk." Kinomi spit on the ground, "What about that parakeet? Can't I trace the aura?"

"No, that's impos-"

"Alright!" Kinomi stood in the middle of the street and closed her eyes, concentrating on the little bird, "Kino…mi?" '_What is this sensation?_' "No way, it's impossible…" Toushiro blinked, and saw what Kinomi was seeing, strings of paper, "What?" Kinomi grabbed a nearby string, "Found him! This way!"

'_That was Reiraku, the ability to see the spirit's reiatsu…only high level shinigami can do that, and this girl has only been a shinigami for not even a week!'_

"Did we finally escape?" The parakeet looked at Chito, "I'm sorry Mister, you were dragged into this."

"No, my only saving grace is I'm tough, and I got into this on my own." Chito grunted and ran forward. The roof that was just above them collapsed, "It found us, we have to run, Mister!"

"It's okay, I will definitely find your mother." Chito turned a corner to see Kinomi and Toushiro, "Chito! WAH! Don't run from us! It's dangerous to be by yourself!"

"Kino!" Kinomi turned around, "Roy!" Kinomi caught her brother, "Kinomi, take your brother home, I will follow Chito."

"But if you run into the hollow!"

"Don't complain! If he were to stay here, it would be a distraction if you fought."

"Toushiro…" Kinomi held her brother, "Your powers haven't come back yet, so remember…" Kinomi started to run home, "Don't push yourself too hard!" Toushiro looked at Kinomi's back, "As if I would let you worry about me of all people…" Toushiro thought Kinomi didn't hear these words, and instead said, "See ya!"

"Neesan… I saw the parakeet's memories, they flow in my mind…" Kinomi looked at her brother, "That boy… as a human… he saw his mother murdered in front of him! Please, save that boy… save him… Kinomi."

The streets were empty, so Toushiro caught up with Chito easily, "Your reiatsu is large… let me eat that soul of yours!" Toushiro turned to face a hollow.

Kinomi's POV

Up until kaa-san's death, Roy was just like Yuta, a crybaby. After she died, Yuta filled in mom's line of work. But Roy wasn't helpful, the least he could do was stay out of our way and not cry. He never cried, even when he broke his leg or got his skull cracked, "Don't cry, Roy. I will definitely send that boy to his mother." (A/N: Sounds very different then the meaning…)

Normal POV

Toushiro was knocked about, "Urk, I'm already tired from running in the gigai, stupid development department…" The hollow stood above Toushiro, "Amazing, you didn't die after one hit… truly amazing."

"Mask of flesh and blood, all living beings, fluttering that which have the name human… Truth and temperance, slightly imbed your claws into the walls of innocent dreams. Hadou 33, Sukatsui!" A blue flame burned the hollow's mask, "What?" The hollow turned to Toushiro, "How?"

"That was shinigami magic, right? Yours is weak though, most likely because your reiatsu weakened… I'm right aren't I?" This was a very smart hollow…'_So I haven't recovered enough to use level thirty three…'_

"So you are a shinigami, that explains your powerful reiatsu…"

"It seems you're persistently chasing that brat around, why?"

"I'll tell you if you let me eat you quietly!"

"Bastard."

Chito stopped in his tracks, "That boy following us…" Chito looked at the speaking parakeet, "He's being attacked by the thing that chased us." Chito placed the parakeet down, "Oh, stay here."

"Eh? What are you going to do?" Chito stood and turned, "Go and help…"

"D-Don't do it! That's dangerous!" Chito looked at the parakeet, then picked it up. The bird sighed in relief… before Chito placed him on top of a nearby wall, "NO! NOT THAT! I didn't mean that if I'm left on the road I'd be in danger of getting hit by a car… Aw man." Chito looked at the parakeet, "Mister, you can see ghosts, right? Don't do it, he'll get you! Wait Mister, wait!" Chito ran off to find the silver haired boy.

Meanwhile…

The hollow raised Toushiro's frail body, "You're so weak! You really a shinigami? Why don't you come out of that shell?" Chito punched the hollow, '_Wha? He hit the hollow, can he see them?'_ "Did I… hit him?" Chito started to hit the air randomly, '_…Scratch that last…_'

"I thought he could see me, but that's just a fluke." Chito punched the hollow again, "Yeah, I hit him…" Toushiro looked at Chito in awe, but the hollow spread its wings and flew upward, "Hahahahaha! You can't attack me now! What are you going to do?" Chito stood there, oblivious of the danger, "Run away! He's lying!" Toushiro shouted, "Transfer student, you can see ghosts?

"That doesn't matter, we can't attack it from this distance!"

"Where?"

"Huh?" Toushiro stared at Chito, "It's flying right? Which direction?"

"What can you do if you know that?" Chito held a pole, "I can do this."

"Hyahahaha! Well? What shall I do? Swoop down and strike?" Chito pulled the pole from the ground, "So… Which direction?"

"Right there! Just swing down!" Chito hit the hollow right in the neck and it fell down, "Give up, someone is coming to get rid of you soon, so stay still until then." The hollow began to laugh, "What's so funny?"

"Why do you think I've been able to devour five shinigami?"

"What?" Toushiro narrowed his eyes, "Geez, because of that thoughtlessness, all you shinigami are beaten by us!" A bunch of hollows jumped down and surrounded Chito and Toushiro.

"This turns the tables. You shinigami are simple minded. When you think you're fighting one opponent, that's when my friends come in! Which one shall I eat first?" Chito roared and all the small hollows flung off of him, "This idiot!" Chito almost punched the hollow, "Even though he can't see me?!"

"Over here! Chito, kick right above me!" The boy did so, and the large hollow took flight above. Chito then started to flail about, "Not there! He's flown off again!"

"The sky?"

"I have an idea."

"This is an awfully dumb idea…" Chito was holding Toushiro, "Don't worry, just throw me in that direction. Up a little more, no too high!"

"Here?"

"Perfect."

"They're bickering…"

"Blast off!" Chito threw Toushiro at the hollow, and he smirked, "That's why I told you, give up."

"NO! I understand now! I'll give up! Or not." One of the small hollows climbed over the other hollows shoulder and spat leeches on him. Chito caught Toushiro, "What happened?"

"Erk, these stupid things!"

"Heh, heh! Those are leeches. They won't come off so easily, and they're also, my targets!" A high pitched whistle was blown, and the leeches exploded, "What happened?"

"Surprised shinigami? Those leeches are miniature bombs!" Chito walked forward, "Heh, so what? For you, how about this?" One of the small hollows brought forth the small parakeet, "Sorry mister, I've been captured."

"Haha! Run around shinigami, so I can have fun hunting just you!"

"Chito, don't move."

"But transfer student…"

"Heh, don't worry about me…" Toushiro ran forward, "I promised I wouldn't mess up!" Two small hollows ran alongside Toushiro and spit leeches at him. Toushiro jumped up just in time to dodge them. Toushiro grabbed onto a railing, but a small hollow was there and spat leeches all over his arm, "Gak." Toushiro landed, and the large hollow stood behind him, "There, you're covered." Toushiro looked behind him only to find the hollow blowing the whistle. The leeches exploded and Toushiro held his left arm. Toushiro ran off, and the hollow threw a small one at Toushiro. It exploded above him, and leeches poured down, "It's okay, you can retaliate!" Toushiro widened his eyes and stopped, "Huh? Are you giving up? That's no fun."

"I'm not running, because there's no need to."

"What?" The hollow turned its head, "You said I could retaliate, right? I'll take your advice." Toushiro turned and a foot stepped on the hollow, "Right Kinomi?"

"Don't 'right Kinomi' me when you're all beat up! Don't act so cool!" Kinomi stomped over to Toushiro, "Didn't you say you wouldn't mess up and cause me to worry?" Toushiro widened his eyes, "You heard that? But… only one who was worried would say that!"

"Heh." Kinomi looked Toushiro in the eyes, "That's true too."

"Ugh, who are you?"

"Kurosaki Kinomi, age fifteen. Presently, I'm the actin shinigami. So if you want to chase one… you have the wrong opponent."

"The acting shinigami? Heh, so I should have targeted you from the beginning!" The hollow threw a small one at Kinomi, but Toushiro pushed her soul out of her body. Kinomi landed on top of the hollow carrying her empty body and Toushiro, "You're too slow." The white blade severely damaged the arm of the hollow, "So you've finally shown yourself…" Kinomi held her white katana in front of her, "You made my brother cry, took hostages, then you hurt a little kid…"

"I-I'm not little!"

"You're one hell of a bastard aren't you?"

"Well yeah, but this bastard's going to eat you."

Chito ran with the parakeet in his hands and saw Kinomi on the ground, "What happened to Kinomi?"

"You have perfect timing, take the parakeet and Kinomi's body. Hide them in a safe place."

"But why?"

"Don't worry. Right now, Kinomi is in the middle of a battle."

* * *

"You move pretty well! You cut the hollows before they can spit out the bombs, but you misunderstood one thing!" The leeches oozed out of the small hollows' bodies and dropped near Kinomi, "That doesn't change the fact that they're still bombs!" There was a huge explosion, and the hollow laughed, "Hahaha! Another shinigami down."

A figure quickly moved out of the smoke and held her sword against the hollow's neck, "I want to ask something… Was it you, that killed that parakeet's mother?!"

* * *

"What did you say?" Toushiro turned to the parakeet, "I said everything is my fault! You and mister are hurt because of me. I wanted to bring my mommy back to life."

"Who told you that? Did someone tell you… that there's a way?"

* * *

"That's right. Four or five years ago, I killed that brat's mother. I was a serial killer and killed various people." Kinomi looked horrified, "That brat's mother was my last one! No matter how many times I stabbed her, she protected that brat. I finally killed her out on the veranda, but the kid grabbed my shoelaces! I lost my balance and died. Since it was he who killed me, I played a game with him. If he could run away in that parakeet form for three months, I'd bring back his mom."

"Return to life?" Kinomi had a minor flashback, "You can do that?"

"Of course not! But it was completely effective!" Kinomi gasped, "The punishment was that the kid would watch the owners die! He would whine about it then I would say… Your mom is waiting to be rescued!" Kinomi widened her eyes.

"It's fun you know? With that one line, he would perk up and cry for his mom!" Kinomi grit her teeth and slashed at the hollow. He blocked and laughed, "Don't be disturbed! Your stance is unguarded!" The hollow threw small hollows at her, and the leeches came out, "See? They hit you! This time it's over!" Kinomi punched her fist inside the hollow's mouth, "I'm returning these to you." Her face was pure anger, "You said you would set them off right? Why don't you do it? You won't, right? So I'll just… take your tongue." Kinomi ripped off the tongue from the hollow.

"AH! My tongue, how dare you!" Kinomi pierced the hollow in the stomach, "See how you like pain. The pain and suffering of death. Is it that pleasurable that it controls you to the pinnacle of insanity? Please." Kinomi glared at the hollow, "It's your own will doing this, you're not being controlled." Kinomi took her sword out and stabbed the hollow's leg, "With this, you can't move. You can't even use your weapon."

"It hurts!"

"How does it feel? Do you know how it feels now, to be murdered?" The hollow took flight, "That's right, fear. Never forget that emotion… hammer it into your mind, and disappear!" Kinomi cut the hollow's mask in half, and then widened her eyes.

A gate with two skeletons appeared, "What is that?"

"It's hell." Toushiro walked up to Kinomi, "I said a zanpakto cleanses the sin with a slash, then sends them to souls society. But, not all souls can go. The zanpakto cleanses the sins committed as a hollow. Those who committed sins during their life…"

"…Are doomed to hell." Kinomi finished the sentence, and the gate opened. A spear cut cleanly in the middle of the hollow. Maniacal laughter appeared and disappeared, as did the gate, "So he's fallen into hell…"

* * *

"Don't worry, soul society isn't a place to be afraid of. You don't have to eat, your body feels light, and its nine times out of ten better than this world!"

"I bet there are no perverts there either?" Kinomi said, referring to the time Kyuuni had first appeared. Toushiro blushed and Kinomi walked over to the bird, "At least, you'll be able to see your mother." The parakeet looked up, "It's not possible to return life, but if you were to go over there… Your mom really will be waiting for you!" Kinomi gave her affectionate smile, and Toushiro knew it wasn't fake, "Kinomi…"

"Well then, are you going?" Kinomi said as she turned her back to Toushiro, "Yeah! Mister, thank you for everything!" Chito looked at the bird, "It was nothing."

"You carried me around, and I didn't get hurt at all!"

"It was nothing."

"I should go now, thank you very much."

"Wait… When I die and go over there, is it alright if I carry you around one more time?"

"Sure!" Kinomi smiled again, "Are you ready?"

* * *

In the midst of the night, a black butterfly flittered about, disappearing as fast as it had come.

Elsewhere, Roy smiled in his sleep, "Thank you, Kinomi."

* * *

"Hey~ I brought you some breakfast! Come on out!" There was no answer and Kinomi got agitated, "HEY! I said breakfast…!" The place was empty, "…Where'd he go off to? That shorty…"

"Nee-san! Why are you walking and eating again? Go downstairs to eat!"

"Whoa! Yuta!"

* * *

"Killer home run!"

"Jinta-kun, Tessai-san will get mad that you're not sweeping…"

"Quiet Ururu! Like I could clean if I was scared of Tessai!"

"No, you're cleaning up because you're scared, right?"

"I'm not scared!" Jinta started to hit Ururu with the broom, but someone stopped him, "Who's there?"

"You're the same as ever, shorty. Is Kisuke in?" Toushiro asked the small red head, "Hey."

* * *

"Jinta, it's still not opening hours!"

"He kept persisting to see the old man."

"Mister Hitsugaya, please wait a moment. I shall wake the manager right away…"

"That's too bad, I've already woken up~" The man yawned, "Morning, Jinta, Ururu, Tessai, and welcome Hitsugaya! We received new products from the other world just yesterday. So what would you like today?"

Beep, beep, beep. "You know, it's bad for your health to use too many fixers."

"I know, but it's hard to move in this darned body after about a hundred years."

"Shall we check it out?"

"No."

"Geez, paying by card?"

"No, with this."

"Bounty rewards?"

"Fish bone D, Hexapodus, Acid wire… All of them are small fry, no good."

"Look at that last one."

"Oh? Shrieker, bonus cash five thousand!" Toushiro sighed, "By the way, did my order arrive?"

"Yeah! Go get it Ururu~"

"O-Okay!"

In his hands was a strange device, "This was the only one available, huh?"

"Please don't say that, it was the second most popular, it was difficult to just get it."

"…I understand. Those kids haven't aged a bit, have they?"

"No…"

* * *

"Kikoi Asano, repeat!"

"K-Keiko Asado?"

"Close enough!" Miyo went up to Chito, "Doesn't it seem like the parakeet has less vocabulary? What happened Chito?"

"I don't know, it was like this when I woke up."

"I see…" Toushiro walked in, "Good morning everyone."

"Good morning."

"Toushiro-kun! You're lovely today as always!" Kikoi said, despite the fact that she had a boyfriend, "That's rare, you're late." Miyo said, "Oh, I had some business to attend to. By the way, do you have a moment, Kinomi?"

"Huh? What is it? If you need to talk, why not right here-" Toushiro punched Kinomi's head and she fainted, "Are you alright? Let me bring you to the nurse's office." Everyone shivered and stared at Toushiro.

"Here." Toushiro gave Kinomi a candy dispenser, "What is it?"

"It's a pill that forces your spirit out of your body."

"You were late because of this?"

"Yes. When it's swallowed, a temporary soul can enter the body. In case of emergency, when you run into a hollow and I'm not there, use this to become a shinigami." Kinomi blinked, "I don't get it."

"Just try it." Kinomi popped a pill into her mouth and her spirit was torn from her body, "I really did come out!"

"Surprised? No one will notice that you've left because a soul has already entered your body."

"Ooh!"

"My name is Kurosaki Kinomi, pleased to meet you!" Kinomi's body's face was smiling, "Ah…"

"108 shinigami scientists calculated an ideal personality for the soul's personality to adopt."

"That is not cool!" Kinomi shouted, "That's nothing like me! I don't smile!"

"There's an order, let's go."

"Are you stupid?!"

"Don't complain."

"I'll definitely be found out!" Toushiro dragged Kinomi, "Hey 'me!' Get over to my next class!"

"Leave it to me master!" When they were gone, the mod soul smiled, "Take your time."

"What are you doing out here?" The soul jumped onto the building, "What do you think, surprised?"

* * *

"Yay lunchtime!" Orui jumped up into the air, "What are you doing?" Toku asked, "What are you talking about? Normal people go to school just for lunch!" Toku twitched his eyes, "Just calm down." Orui stood up and looked out the window, "What's wrong?"

"I smelled Kurosaki!"

"Smelled? Are you a dog?" The soul in Kinomi's body jumped onto the window, "This is class 1-3 right?"

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"H-How did you get up here?"

"I jumped, are you surprised?" Everyone started to talk about and stare at the Kinomi imposter (I will call the soul Imposter for now…).

"Kinomi!" Orui waved and Imposter looked at him thinking that he was handsome and all that shit. She jumped right up to Orui and took his hand, "You're a very handsome person, please tell me your name."

"Kinomi?! Do you even know what you're doing?" Imposter looked at Toku, "From close up you're handsome too."

"Huh?" Everyone stared in surprise.

* * *

Kinomi grit her teeth, "Kinomi, we don't have to worry."

"Yes I do!" Kinomi shouted, "I have a bad feeling about that soul." The window of class 1-3 broke, "Th-That's my classroom!"

"You're right, we should hurry."

* * *

Toku threw a desk at Imposter, "Friend or not, nobody kisses my cheek!" Imposter dodged Toku's punch. Toushiro ran into the room, "That's enough." The boy's cold face was colder than usual. Imposter ran toward the window, but Kinomi jumped in front of it, "Now there's nowhere to run." Imposter jumped out of the window, and Kinomi twitched, "Jumping down from here, who the hell do you think you're using!"

* * *

"Kinomi, that's a mod-soul." Kinomi grit her teeth, "That bastard is dead!"

"We need to hurry and find her!" Kinomi shouted, "You heard it right, the trouble in the classroom…"

"Seemed like the mod-soul kissed them." Toushiro announced, sounding very annoyed, "Don't say, it's embarrassing!"

"They say young people have no morals." Kinomi twitched again, "Wait a second, what's a mod-soul?"

"Soul society had an operation called spearhead. To insert souls created for combat into dead human bodies that lost their souls. It was a foolish plan though."

"Why?"

"It was then that they were created. Artificial spirits that depend on one part of the body to super-human levels… that's a mod-soul." Kinomi narrowed her eyes, "They cancelled the operation though, and all mod-souls were ordered to be destroyed."

"It seems as though some have escaped, right?"

"Yes."

"That means what? It was created for Soul society and killed by it too?"

"That's the gist of it."

"You're satisfied with that?"

"Satisfied or not, mod-souls must be destroyed! That is the rule of Soul society, and don't forget it. The rules of Soul society help keep humans like you alive." Kinomi blinked, "Now let's go, you want you're body back don't you?"

"Ask someone else." Kinomi said, dragging Toushiro along with her.

"Is that an order?" Kinomi asked as Toushiro's cell phone beeped, "Unfortunately, yeah. In five minutes."

* * *

"How come nobody believes us?"

"We're always causing trouble!"

"Haha!"

"Hehe." The hollow charged at the young kids, only to find them missing, "Go over there, do you want to die?" Imposter said as she pointed in the opposite direction. The hollow struck Imposter's shoulder, and she fell. The kids ran away and Imposter stared at the hollow, "A weakling like you shouldn't get involved!"

"Exactly!" Kinomi's katana cut off the hollow's arm, "You saved-" Kinomi grabbed the shirt collar, "Getting hurt like this, whose body do you think this is!" Her katana pierced through the hollow without having to look, "If you're going to get hurt fighting trash like this, then don't jump in!"

"What are you talking about! I'm fighting because it took so long for you to arrive!"

"I'll eat the both of you!"

"Shut up!" Kinomi sliced the hollow in half and Imposter kicked it. The hollow was sent flying and Imposter chased after it. She fell off the railing and Kinomi caught her, "What are you doing?!" Kinomi saw ants, "You're not going to say you didn't want those ants to die…"

"Y-Yeah! So what? I won't kill anything! I should at least have the right to live and die freely! It's the same, I won't kill."

"My, my." Kisuke stepped between the two, "We finally found you." Kisuke's cane went through Imposter and the pill came out, "Mission complete!"

"I thought there was going to be some action!" Jinta cried, "What are you going to do with it?"

"Dispose of it, why?"

"You can… see me? Who are you?" Kinomi widened her eyes, "How should I answer that…"

"He's a greedy salesman." Toushiro said as he caught the pill, "Toushiro! You can't take that!"

"I am satisfied with the product, you can't take it away from me. Plus, you guys work outside the law, you have no responsibility to recover it."

"…We're not responsible then? If trouble comes, we'll play dumb."

"Don't worry, I'm getting used to trouble." Toushiro placed the pill in Kinomi's hand, feeling her warmth. Toushiro blushed slightly, "Here, let's go."

"Thanks for not throwing her away." Toushiro sighed, but turned nonetheless, "Your welcome."

**_If I were the rain, that joins sky and Earth that otherwise never touch, could I join two hearts as well?_**

"Wake up Kinomi! It's morning you hear?" Kinomi opened her eyes to see Non, the mod-soul in front of her. She grabbed the bear's ear and threw him into the wall, "Act like a real stuffed animal and stay still!" The door opened and Toushiro stepped on Non, "Are you trying to wake the neighbors? Can't I get dressed in peace?" I twitched, "Toushiro, put a friggin shirt on before you come out!"

"Wah!" Kinomi threw a pillow at Toushiro, "You disturbed the time of which I dress, so I had to stop you from yelling!"

"Kinomi!"

"Hide!" Kinomi closed the closet as Yuta came in, "Nee-san, Miyo-chan is here to walk you to school!" Kinomi sighed, "Okay. Sorry Miyo! I just woke up!" Kinomi sighed, "Aw, why didn't dad wake me up?" Kinomi looked at her watch and paused, "Why the look Kinomi?"

"Nothing. Wow, it's tomorrow."

* * *

"Hey Kinomi!" Orui waved at Kinomi and she smiled in return, "Hey Orui!" Kinomi proceeded to her seat, leaving Orui confused, "What's wrong?"

"Mit, what day is today?" Toku asked, "Umm, it's June sixteenth. Why?"

"Thanks. Orui, you're perceptive. It took me three years to notice that. If you have any urgent business with Kinomi, do it today. Kinomi won't be at school tomorrow." Toushiro overheard this and narrowed his eyes.

* * *

Kinomi wrapped a towel around her wet hair, "That looked fun." Toushiro said, "The meeting? Pft."

"So you're going to skip school tomorrow?"

"Look, Toushiro-kun…" Toushiro's heart skipped a beat, "About my soul reaper duties, could I maybe take tomorrow off?"

"What? Are you crazy?"

"It's the anniversary of my mother's death…no. Actually, the day she was killed."

_When was it that she stopped smiling?_

"This hill is hard."

"Come one Yuta! Let daddy show you how! I will walk on my hands the rest of the way!"

"Do not make eye contact, it only encourages him."

"I don't need attention!" Kinomi's father slipped and Roy kicked him down the hill, "It was today… so different than that June seventeenth." Kinomi softened her eyes.

"Hey look, it's another visitor, who is he?" Kinomi looked at the top of the hill, '_What is he doing here!_'

"He's waving at you, Kinomi. Is he a friend?"

"Never seen him before!"

"He looks familiar…"

"I remember! He's my best friend from junior high; you guys go ahead to mom's grave! I need to set him straight!" Yuta blinked several times before Roy spoke, "Well she is getting to **that** age…"

"Wh-What age Roy?!"

"We need to give her some space."

"What Roy?! Aaah!"

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Kinomi asked, "You'll need my help if a hollow comes."

"You couldn't have been sneakier?!"

"Sorry, I didn't think." Kinomi studied Toushiro's face, "Are you mad?"

"No, curious. You said she was 'killed.' You said that, right?"

"No I didn't."

"Who killed her?"

"I didn't say that, just drop it." Kinomi turned and started to run, but Toushiro grabbed her waist, "You told me you saw spirits from a young age, so answer this one question. Did a hollow kill her?" Kinomi's eyes widened, "I mean, it is possible." Kinomi turned to Toushiro, "No way! You don't know. Why's everything have to do with hollows? That's ridiculous... There was no hollow." Kinomi looked up the road to see a familiar figure, "No, what is she doing here?" Kinomi ran away, "KINOMI!" Toushiro turned, but saw nothing.

"Why did you run?" Kinomi held back her tears, "It wasn't a hollow that killed my mom, it was me."

**Was this an annoying chapter to read? I bet it was, because I can just read it on your face, even though I can't read it. I know it was a pain just trying to proofread this chapter... let alone regularly read it...**


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